RS. 2.24 BILLION BUDGET FOR KMC PRESENTED Kathmandu, 12 Jan. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Friday presented a budget of Rs 2.24 billion budget and programmes for the fiscal year 2013-14. The budget was presented at the meeting of the 21st municipal council. nnnn MEDIA GOOGLE “As consensus and cooperation is the need of the hour to bail the country out of the present crisis, the NC better quit its obsession for the post of prime minister and join the government to save the nation.” (Sujata Koirala, The Himalayan Times, 12 Jan.) Nnnn FOUR ARRESTED MAOISTS FOR JOURNALIST MURDER YET TO BE BOOKED Kathmandu, 12 Jan.: Five Maoist cadres were arrested on Saturday for their involvement in murdering journalist Dekendra Thapa in 2004, and police are now recording their statements, but other four cadres who were also accused of taking part in the crime are yet to be booked, Pisshkar Thapa writes in The Himalayan Times from Dailekh.. Maoist activists Bam Bahadur Khadka (Arun), Bam Bahadur Khadka (Mukti), Kesav Khadka and Muktiram Khadka have not been arrested, allegedly because of pressure from the government. Lakshiram Gharti, Nirak Ghartimagar, Bir Bahadur KC, Jay Bahadur Shahi and Harilal were arrested by Dailekh police on Saturday and their interrogation is on, albeit after a glitch on Monday. The office of the government prosecutor in Dailekh must file a case in court within 25 days, but police have so far finished recording statements of only two of the five accused. Lakshiram and Nirak have already admitted to the crime. They revealed that Arun, who lives in Auri of Bagnath VDC in Bardiya, had sent a letter to journalist Thapa asking him to come for discussion on an issue related to water supply. Mukti was a militia commander when the scribe was murdered. Lakshiram told the investigators during the interrogation that Mukti had meted out torture to Thapa. A source said Mukti is based in the headquarters of the Unified CPN-Maoist in Parisdanda, Kathmandu, Kesav Khadka is working in a hotel in New Delhi, India and Bhaktiram Lamichhane lives in Kohalpur, Banke. Investigating official Inspector Binod Sharma said nine persons were involved in Thapa’s murder. Local political parties alleged that police did not arrest the four accused because of ‘pressure from the state’. Bhupendra Shahi, Dailekh district secretary of Nepali Congress, said, “The prime minister has made the mockery of the rule of law by trying to save those involved in the brutal killing of journo Thapa.” Laxmi Pokharel, a CPN-UML national council representative, said Dailkeh locals would resort to agitation if interrogation and judicial proceedings were halted at the orders from higher-ups. Dailekh Chief District Officer Umesh Dhakal declined to comment on the case but said his office has directed the police to provide security to local journalists. Dhakal also refused to comment on whether the Office of the Attorney General had pressed government prosecutor Dambar Kafle to halt the legal proceedings. Meanwhile, a team from Nepal Press Union today interacted with CDO Dhakal, Kafle, local political parties, journalists and slain journalist Thapa’s mother. Thapa’s mother Gangadevi said she was worried that the accused might be freed without facing punishment due to pressure from the government. Agitating journalists staged a sit-in for an hour in front of Dailekh District Police Office today as well. Meanwhile, following pressure from civil society, six political parties and journalists, police today interrogated Bir Bahadur KC, one of the five arrested murder accused, at the office of the government prosecutor. What KC said has been kept under wraps though. Where are the murder accused • Bam Bahadur Khadka (Arun); lives in Auri of Bagnath VDC in Bardiya • Bam Bahadur Khadka (Mukti); based at UCPN-M headquarters, Kathmandu • Kesav Khadka; works at a hotel in New Delhi, India, • Muktiram Khadka; lives in Kohalpur, Banke Nnnn MAOIST CHAIRMAN PRESENTS POLITICAL DRAFT TO BE PRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONVENTION Kathmandu, 12 Jan.: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today presented his political document prepared for the seventh national convention of the party scheduled to be held on February 2. The document entitled ‘A new analysis of Nepali revolution: A historic necessity’ incorporates 15 different sub-titles, said senior party leader Giriraj Mani Pokhrel. He, however, refused to divulge the contents claiming the party was not for making it public. Pokhrel said the document comprised all necessary issues including the changes made by different movements since 2006 BS. Party spokesman Agni Sapkota said Dahal has focused on economic revolution through the establishment of cooperatives so as to institutionalise the political achievements. The document was handed over to the members of the National Convention Organising Committee late in the evening. During today’s [Friday’s] meeting, six leaders had presented their views, while 19 other leaders had already presented their views on Thursday. Gears to counter attack Unified CPN-Maoist on Friday started preparing to file cases against the government authorities responsible for the murder, disappearances of its cadres during the people’s war. The move follows as the party considers itself under serious attack from both national and international forces. Sources claimed that the party has already directed all its committees to find out the authorities, who were responsible for the murder and disappearances of all the incidents. The party will start demonstrations for those who have lost their kin during the conflict. “The party is also holding discussion with CPN-Maoist to begin joint movements,” a party leader toldTHT. Senior UCPN-M leader Giriraj Mani Pokhrel also claimed that the party has decided to counter the increasing attack on the party both from national and international forces by reviving the cases of people’s war, by unifying the party. “Things will be crystal clear by the time of national conference, whether the parties signing the 12-point agreement will be together or not,” he said. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Journalists Association close to the UCPN-M has decided to launch protest programmes demanding action against those responsible for the murder of Maoist-affiliated journalists. The RJA had decided to organise a rally on January 15 and handover a memorandum to the parties, who had signed the 12-point pact. nnnn